The Wayward Initiative
by Unicorn of Castiel
Summary: Avengers AU. S.H.I.E.L.D needs the very best to safeguard the world. Fury doesn't expect them to get along. He knows not all of them are taking the roles they were destined to. If the world hadn't decided to end before he could deal with that - the idjits might have actually been useful.
1. Cold, Dark, Winters Night

**AUTHORS NOTE: I'm doing it guys. I'm attempting another multi-chapter fic. It won't be long. But I really will finish it *sweats nervously*. Enjoy!**

* * *

"In what world was a meerkat going to pass as a nun, Kevin?" Charlie screwed her eyes shut and rubbed the migraine that had formed after the seventeenth explosion. The infamous Black Widow had dealt with thousands of explosions. It didn't normally get to her. It was just that the infamous-and-completely-idiotic Hawkeye had made the situation so stressful that the backing track of big bangs had pushed her over the edge.

"It worked in Botswana." Kevin threw down his bow, like it wasn't a prized possession, and belly flopped onto his bed in their safe house.

"Budapest isn't Botswana." Charlie finally managed to yank her boot off, sitting on her own bed, and chucked it lamely to Kevin's side of the room. "Not that I believe that story at all. Botswana makes even less sense than Budapest for successful meerkat heists."

"This wasn't meant to be a heist," Kevin spoke into his pillow. "And it wasn't all _my_ fault. Ms. I-can-take-seventeen-guards-at-once."

"Sixteen out of seventeen isn't bad. I got the last sucker eventually." Charlie rebutted. "At least my screw up was a laugh. There's nothing funny about exploding meerkats."

Kevin rolled over on his bed to look at her.

"You _heard_ that sentence right?"

 _Beep Beep. Beep Beep._

Charlie knew which phone had interrupted their argument, despite the pile of fifty she was sat next too. Going under cover sometimes meant old technology. Potentially her biggest pet peeve. She _flipped_ the damn phone open.

 _Today couldn't get any worse._

"Dammit Fury…"

Kevin sat up.

"What now?"

Charlie looked back to him. Expression suggesting he already knew.

"He's going ahead with it. He's pulling them together." Charlie chucked the phone back down. "Pack your bags Bartran, we're becoming Avengers."

* * *

"You give my life direction, You make everything so clear." Jo threw her head back against the headrest. Punctuating the rhythm of the song she and Captain America had blasting through the radio. The super soldier in question drummed his fingers on the wheel and took the next verse.

"And even as I wander - I'm keeping you in sight. You're a candle in the window - On a cold, dark winter's night…And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might!" Dean probably wasn't looking at the road as much as he should be. Agent 13 was the only one who would share his enthusiasm for love ballads. It was his favorite thing about the future. He had to make the most of it. Jo joined in for the chorus – together they had enough passion in the music to break the windows.

"AND I CAN'T FIGHT THIS FEELING ANYMORE! I'VE FORGOTTEN WHAT I STARTED FIGHTING FOR!"

"Guys, seriously, we're on a mission." The Falcon broke the mood through their comms units. It was a wonder Benny's husky southern voice could be heard over the heart baring of Reo Speedwagon.

"Don't be a buzz kill, brother." Dean turned down the music a little. Only a little. Benny continued like he couldn't tell.

"I've taken down three watchmen on this block. I think I'm getting close."

Dean carried on singing. If he wasn't listening, Agent 13 was. It really didn't seem like he was listening.

" _And if I have to crawl upon the floor,"_

"Dean-"

" _Come crushing through your door!"_

"Seriously…"

" _Benny, I can't fight this feeling anymore!"_

The joke was shot dead as a loud explosion crashed over comms. Crackling noises replaced Benny's voice. Jo and Dean's expressions dropped. Jo sat up and stared at the speakers. Dean glanced between them and the road.

"Falcon?"

More crackling noises.

"Benny, dammit, answer me!"

"Bastard took my…king wing off…." The reply was broken with static.

"You okay?" Dean pushed, speeding up the golf. He hated this damn golf.

"I'm fine, Rogers – but grounded." With that Benny's comms broke out completely. Dean drove even faster.

"Where was he?"

Jo could only supply a rough co-ordinate. Dean broke a few road laws and slammed the breaks. His helmet was down, his shield in the back seat. Agent 13 already had her gun poised and ready for an attack as Dean took his shield. They were at a cross roads. He signaled that they take separate directions.

The roads of the city carried on as usual around Dean – until he reached a burning car. Until he heard the screaming. The further Captain America ran the more civilians ran against him. An explosion rocketed up ahead. Smoke cleared over the figure standing on a car, clad in black, shoulder length brown hair swaying. They raised their gun to someone still covered by the smoke. The Falcons wing lay as part of the roads debris. Dean forced himself to move faster, raising his shield, jumping from one car to another – ready to tackle what looked like the ring leader of the men who'd been plaguing the city. The one they'd been hunting. The Ghost Story that was The Winter Soldier. The soldier turned at the last minute. Dean raised his shield – not exactly expecting to have to deal with the force and the _clang_ of metal against metal.

"Son of a Bi -" Dean's surprise was cut off as the soldier landed a punch to his jaw, up through the chin. Dean fell back. The Soldier fell back onto the car roof but recovered methodically. Dean was almost too late in pulling his shield back as the bullets fired at him. The soldier rolled off the car once his ammo was out. Dean dived for the shelter of the other side. This dude's outfit was freakin' _made_ of guns. More bullets broke the windows as Dean ran for the other side. He took a dive. Managed to kick the new gun away. It didn't make a difference. The Soldier took hold of the shield with a metal arm. _Metal arm. Someone should have given Captain America that memo._ The soldier landed a few punches, twisting Dean around his own shield shaped icon until he was on the floor.

Dean rolled over. The soldier threw away the shield. The fight now was a whirl of precise limb movements. The Soldier span Dean around. Dean kicked out. The Soldier pulled a knife. Dean knocked it away, the black muzzle from the Soldiers face going with it. Captain America flipped The Winter Soldier onto the floor. The Soldier's expression never changed from that of _murder._ Dean couldn't even remember what his mission was. He was back in the 1940's.

"Sammy?"

The Soldier kicked out. Now Dean was on the floor and the Soldier's expression was blurred by the hair that fell in his face. It only looked a little puzzled.

"Who the hell is Sammy?"

* * *

 **AUTHORS NOTE 2:** **The first two chapters will be introducing our hunting Avengers. This won't follow the plot of the first Avengers film completely - but it is based on it. Please review and follow etc. so I know people are actually interested in this story. Otherwise I might just leave it as a two-shot.**


	2. Hail Hell

**AUTHORS NOTE: Here's to chapter 2! And my mental breakdowns have only been minimal in trying to keep on top of this story. I should be able to keep on top of this if I write the next three chapters before my exams start, but there's nothing more motivating then people actually reading this so Enjoy!**

* * *

Iron Man's suit folded open around him, walking into his elaborate sky scraper from the highest floor. The bar had his immediate attention. He'd picked up the bottle of champagne before he even noticed the aging man in a fine suit and clashing tattered baseball cap. He carried on pouring his drink anyway, chucking a tiny umbrella into the glass even if it wasn't customary for the beverage.

"Fergus Stark?" Director Fury asked, hands in pockets. _STARK_ was written in big glowing letters outside of this place. Iron Man assumed you'd notice that if you were going to go through the effort to break in. You didn't need to ask.

" _Crowley_ Stark." He sneered. "The name _is_ legally changed."

"Our records say Fergus." The man's voice was gruff and nonchalant. Crowley hated Director Fury.

"Your records are wrong." Iron Man didn't offer Director Fury a glass of champagne as he walked around his bar, into the wide open space of the room Fury had made himself at home in. "Why are you here? I was told S.H.I.E.L.D lost interest in me."

"They did." Fury agreed. "Now we've changed our minds. Circumstances change."

"The Avengers initiative failed didn't it? Since the moment I was ruled out I hear?" Crowley continued to stroll towards Fury. He had no intention in keeping the bitterness out of his voice. "Because I'm…Volatile? Self-obsessed? Don't work well with others? We both know the real reason was because of that little accident I had in the lab. And yet now you've come crawling back…"

"Personal profiling is no longer important." Fury didn't seem phased by Crowley's attitude. Iron Man nodded, as if coming to the end of considering this offer. He looked back to Fury and threw the rest of his champagne over him. The umbrella fell to the floor.

"That was for ruling me out the first time." Crowley said. Fury glared up from his champagne soaked suit. "Now when do I start?"

* * *

"Why did you start working for Hell, Sam?"

Agent 13 sat across from the Winter Soldier. The Soldier was caged in glass, cuffed to his chair and staring forward with the same _kill, kill, kill_ expression. He didn't move, not even to flick the locks of hair that had fallen forward out of his face. The peak of confusion was still there. Every now and then he'd glance around the room. Like he was looking for someone. He very rarely replied.

"That's not my name."

Jo didn't change her expression. That was the most information she'd gotten out of him for a while. She dared to push forward.

"What is your name then?"

The Soldier didn't seem to understand the question.

"…I…Hail Hell."

Jo looked down to the paper in front of her. Not that it had anything important on it. She just needed somewhere to look that wasn't murderous eyes.

"Why did you start working for Hell?"

The Soldier caved his eyebrows in. Leaning his head back and screwing his eyes shut. Like the confusion caused physical pain.

"Hail Hell."

Jo nodded and checked her watch. Dean had probably punched Fury in the face and been arrested himself by now. It had been hard enough to catch the Winter Soldier with a wingless Falcon and an emotionally compromised Captain America.

Dean had not in fact punched Director Fury in the face by that moment in time – because Director Fury did not deem it necessary to be there whilst S.H.I.E.L.D's greatest asset had a break down because _Sammy was alive. Sammy is alive and they're not letting me see him. Too emotionally involved my ass…_

"WHERE IS HE?" Dean yelled, taking a S.H.I.E.L.D agent by the scruff of the shirt. "Where could Fury _possibly_ be that's more important than what Hell has done with my brother?"

Dean started hitting things. The agents with barely enough clearance to know what was going on cowered in the corner. They couldn't really tackle Captain America to the floor, after all.

"What's he got against lamps?" One Agent whispered to the other as Dean kicked one of the lamps he'd knocked off the table. The agent next to him flinched.

"I don't know but he says the Winter Soldier is a Samuel _Barnes._ They're not even brothers."

"Captain Rogers." Director Fury appeared in the doorway. His battered baseball cap clashed with his suit horribly. He was too important for anyone to tell him. Today the suit in question was stained. No one asked about that either. Probably because Dean was too preoccupied with yelling at him.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"I had business in New York."

"More important than Hell screwing my brother's mind to turn him into a killing machine? I thought he was dead. Did you know about this, Fury?"

"Now come on, we've talked about this. I don't want you just to see me as Robert Fury – or Director Fury – just call me Bobby."

Dean was very close to fulfilling Jo's assumption and leaving Fury with a black eye.

" _Answer the damn question."_

Fury took his hat off and chucked it on the table. Running his hand through his swept back, graying hair.

"I knew about the Winter Soldier. I didn't know it was your old army buddy inside him."

"He's more than an old _army buddy_ you son of a bitch. Now let me talk to him."

Fury considered him for a moment before nodding. Dean remembered what it was like to breathe again. Bobby added a condition before he lost Captain America's focus completely.

"Under one condition."

Back in the interrogation room, The Winter Soldier had ignored another one of Agent 13's questions. Jo was about to repeat it, before the Soldier looked her in the eye. He'd been staring at the corner of the room. He looked at her to speak.

"The man on the bridge…who was he?"

Jo perked up. It still wasn't clear what had happened to Samuel Barnes, it was her job to ascertain why, but it was clear that he didn't remember who he was.

"Dean Rogers. Captain America." She supplied quickly, staring into the Soldier's dead eyes that didn't look so dead at the moment. He nodded. It was a small nod, he was still clearly confused, but there was something more there.

"…I knew him."

* * *

"Another."

Castiel Chuckson sat in a rundown diner, staring quizzically over his empty plate, towards Lady Meg - who still hadn't touched her burger. Donna Lewis laughed, mouth smeared with ketchup.

"Make that order a double."

The waitress clicked her gum and rolled her eyes to Meg.

"You?"

"I'm still working through the grease I already have. Thanks." She didn't sound very thankful. The waitress nodded and walked away. Meg glared between the other two. Donna worked through another bite of the three layer burger – Castiel stared at her with a dead expression. "Isn't Professor Selvig supposed to be here?"

"Ash?" Donna asked through her mouthful. "He was last seen running naked around Stonehenge. He'll probably be a little late."

Two more burgers were slipped in front of them. The waitress left without another word. Castiel was too distracted with the lump of protein to pay attention to the diner door opening with a chime. Someone scrapped up a chair and sat with them in a confident _thud._ Lady Meg was still the only one paying attention.

"Who the hell are you?"

The woman with short black hair didn't bat an eye as she replied.

"Agent Mills. I believe you've heard of S.H.I.E.L.D? I'm here to talk about Castiel Chuckson's brother."

Up until this point, Castiel hadn't taken his eyes off the burger he'd immediately began to work through. He took in this _Agent Mills_ as he chewed.

"Raphael?"

"No, Castiel. I think you know which one I mean."

"Michael?"

"No."

"Uriel?"

"No – Loki."

Castiel stopped chewing and processed the information. Lady Meg carried on guessing for him.

"Hannah?"

"No. Loki."

"Zachariah?"

" _Loki."_

"Balthazar? If it's him. You're outta luck. He left Asgard to open his own Midgard nightclub two years ago."

"I'm talking about Loki, Lady Meg, and you know it."

"Loki is of no concern for humanity." Castiel said, like Meg hadn't been winding up the Agent. The Agent who was speaking about Castiel's brother with a clear threat in her voice.

"S.H.I.E.L.D begs to differ. He killed 80 people in two days."

Castiel swallowed the burger that he'd left in his mouth for so long that it had lost all flavor. Agent Mills couldn't help notice how much his neutral expression fell completely dead. His voice was deep enough to feel like a constant threat.

"Midgard should not want any more of its citizens dead. He is Asgard's responsibility. What do you think we're doing here?"

Agent Mills raised her eyebrows and looked at the plates they sat around.

"It looks like your stuffing you faces with fat and waiting for the problem to solve itself if I'm honest."

Castiel narrowed his eyes at her.

"If humans go after Loki even more blood will be spilt. Leave this to Asgard. You don't stand a chance."

"I think you're underestimating just how many people on this planet are extraordinary, Chuckson." Agent Mills folded her arms, looking at Castiel like he wasn't a Norse God with a magical hammer under the table. "S.H.E.I.L.D has a proposition for you."

* * *

 **AUTHORS NOTE 2: Next week our Avengers meet! (and Loki shows himself to be a little different than he is in the movie) in chapter 3 "Gotta Catch 'Em All" Feedback and suggestions always welcome :D**

 **Good luck with the season 11 finale tonight! We may not survive for chapter 3.**


	3. Gotta Catch 'Em All

**AUTHORS NOTE: Ding Dong Chapter three is here! I'm a little behind with my writing for this story but bare with, It should only be a problem for two more weeks and then any late updates are all on me. My editing may be a little lax this week, I'll come back and edit everything once my exams are over (or if I have time/procrastinate before that) Enjoy!**

* * *

It was raining Weedle. Wartortles and Blastoise's scurried over the pavement. Silhouettes of more monsters flashed over the grand building that still had faint orchestral music streaming out of it. Dean Rogers had no idea what any of these words meant. He had no idea what any of these creatures were. In fact, he was rapidly questioning whether SHIELD was really an asylum he'd been sent to after coming out of the ice and this was all some ridiculous dream. The _Croconaw_ that tackled him to the ground was all too real.

Dean pushed the Pokémon off with his shield, fighting his way through the monsters with little clue as to why SHIELD had given him _this_ mission as part of the deal for letting him talk to Sam. Apparently a powerful hostile was targeting the building, that looked like it had a protective shield against anyone who wasn't in top hat and tails. SHIELD had plenty of agents who'd had a lot more experience than Dean, why he had to be the one tripping over these stupid, adorable, fluffy monsters was beyond him. It didn't look like they were hurting anyone but each other and committing one or two hundred acts of vandalism anyway.

Captain America fell onto the steps before the building, tripped over by a Meowth. Screaming ran through the air. People hurried past him and into the Pokémon sea. There was nowhere else to go. Not from the man with combed back brown hair and fine fitted tailed suit that strolled out behind them. He dragged a scepter, the point glowing a miraculous blue.

Dean dragged himself forward. Pulled himself to his feet, and charged at him. The Norse God he'd been sent after feigned a stance that was ready to fight and swung his staff at Dean's ankles at the last minute. Captain America took the force into a roll and span back at him. The suited man smiled.

"I was expecting better than that Dean-o." He span the scepter between his fingers. Dean grunted and made another charge, this time more prepared to drag him down the steps with him, as he was sent into another trip. They rolled into the array of monsters. The things were too small to trample them, but annoying enough to trip Dean up a few times as he struggled to his feet. The suited man swung his scepter around. Dean span to kick it away and aimed a punch.

Rain began to batter the clearing and the Pokémon. This guy knew how to fight, but he stopped to look up at the change in weather. Dean grinned.

"What's the matter?" he called over the battering rain, letting his bravado loose like it was a fight move. "Scared of a little lightning?"

The suited man gave him a pointed look.

"Not a fan of what follows."

Thunder rattled a head. Lightning cracked the sky and Dean's fight with the Norse God was broken with the falling whirl of red. This brunette had shorter hair, tussled like he'd been strapped to a comet. Rain ran down the muscles that lay bare beneath the red cape and silver armor. His face was like thunder - not that he seemed to notice the irony in that. His blue eyes dug into the suited man, gripping a brick sized hammer like it was nothing.

" _Gabriel."_

His voice was deep and powerful. They were in the middle of a fight. Dean wanted nothing more than to get this over with and try to talk some memory into Sam. As Captain America, Dean was used to a _swelling patriotism_ \- but even so, he couldn't help thinking that _hot damn that was one fine Norse God._ The God with the scepter rolled his eyes.

"Please! _Gabriel_ was so three seasons ago. It's Loki now."

The new Norse God didn't miss a beat.

"You've gone too far this time Loki."

"Castiel." Loki closed his eyes, like he was exhausted by having to explain this to him. "You are a Great Big Bag of Dicks. If you took that stick outta your ass for long enough to realize how boring you are, you'd understand. Look around!" He raised his scepter as a Pikachu ran past him. "This is hilarious."

"People are dead." Castiel strode forward, hammer lifted. Loki shrugged.

"People die all the time. At least they stand out when they're being torn to shreds by a rabid Winnie the Pooh."

"I do not understand that reference." Castiel dismissed. Still moving forward.

"I do." Dean felt the need to admit. Picking up his shield and walking alongside Castiel. Loki didn't flinch. Not even as rock music began to blast through the sky. His lack of reaction would have convinced Dean and Castiel that it was Loki's doing – until a life sized red tin man flew past. It slowed and hovered at their side, guns unfolding from its shoulders.

"Hello Boys." The British Accent crumbled through its speakers. The lights in its eyes glanced between the three of them.

"What the F -" Dean began. _The future was so, so weird._ Loki interrupted him.

"The Tin Man is here!" He looked between Dean and Castiel. "You look like Captain Courage. Which means you must be looking for your brain, brother."

Castiel took a step forward. His voice became furious with his desperation.

"What happened to you?"

Before Loki could reply they were interrupted with blaring noise once more. A plane blew the litter and the leaves of the trees and the Pokémon running around the clearing as it settled to hover around the group. A woman's voice came from it. Loud and clear.

"Loki, stand down."

Iron Man turned his head to the plane. Guns still pointed at Loki even if he wasn't paying attention.

"Miss me, Agent Bradbrunov?"

"Shut up, Crowley." Charlie's voice came out repulsed. But the sort of repulsed that was tired of hearing the metal guys voice.

"Hey Castiel." A man's voice came from the plane next. "We haven't met officially, but I was sent to spy on you the first time you came to earth. Good to see you again. I'm Agent Bartran by the way."

Castiel stared at the plane. Whilst the Avengers around him were distracted, Loki had begun to shuffle away, an army of Squirtles scattering around them. The group of superheroes bickered in the confusion of why so many of them were there and who should be the one to take Loki in, with no sings of reaching a conclusion any time soon. Gabriel began to whistle and walk with more confidence. Until, that is, he was shot in the back.

"I said stand down!" Charlie yelled from the plane. Loki turned around to glare at the hump of metal destroying all of his Pokémon.

" _Ow."_

Castiel grunted and span his hammer. Loki rolled his eyes. The rain fell heavier. Thunder rattled. Lightning cracked down to the hammer. Castiel threw it forward and the light went with. The clearing filled with light and flashed away in an instant. Dean was the only one with his head showing, but everyone's eyes went wide as they stared at Castiel.

Loki had fallen back onto the floor. He spluttered as he pushed himself back up, hair messy and covered in gravel. The grounded heroes chased towards him. Iron Man landing gracefully on the floor to re-aim his guns. Castiel raised his hammer again. Dean gripped his shield. Gabriel sighed and looked between them, raising his hands in surrender.

"Any chance you'd let me go so I can play hard to get?" Loki's smile was lopsided. "No? Fine..."

Crowley was ready to grab him and fly. Or maybe be persuaded to join Charlie and Kevin. Dean blocked him with his shield.

"First of all," he glared at Loki. A charmander scurried past them. "Get rid of all these things."

Loki grunted and clicked his fingers. The Pokémon disappeared. As Crowley hoarded Loki on board with Charlie and Kevin, Captain America and Castiel Chuckson following behind, the Avengers fell back to arguing over who had really been sent to capture him.

In the clearing before the grand building, a lone jigglypuff blew across the scene like a dust ball.

* * *

 **AUTHORS NOTE 2: Next week we have more of Loki's fooling around, an Avengers group huddle and a bowel movement scene with Captain America and The Winter Soldier in Chapter 4: "The Avengers Initiative". Hope you're having a good Hellaitus, I'm always a fan of any feedback or suggestions you have, until next time - adios.**


	4. The Avengers Initiative

**AUTHORS NOTE: Hullo again Chaps, Chapettes and Gender Nonchapformers! Chapter 4 is here already! How exciting. It feels like only yesterday I was free from this revision stress. But after a horrible exam today, there's nothing better than winding down with Fan-fiction, beer, ice cream and the UK run of Supernatural season 11. So without further ado, i hope you enjoy your Avenging Hunters fix!**

* * *

"This cage is nice" Loki declared after a lengthy examination of the round and empty glass chamber he'd been marched into. "You do all this for me?"

Director Bobby stared at him, expression unchanging as response to his question. Loki carried on like nothing against politeness protocol had happened.

"If I were you, I wouldn't have bothered making this place so clean and roomy."

"I wouldn't be so smug if I were you, Loki. You so much as touch that glass you've got a 20,000 ft drop below you…In other words; boot." He gestured to the lever on the control panel he guarded. "Your snide ass." He pointed back to Loki.

The Norse God smiled out a chuckle.

"You could throw me into a pit of turd and still have it be fit to cage a Norse God. I'm not the only new passenger aboard this ship. So tell me, Boss. Which one of that SHIELD cheer-leading squad is the monster?"

* * *

"Your moms name was Mary."

Dean smiled. He wanted to keep it small. He didn't want the Winter Soldier to know how much getting his old brother in arms back meant to him. But _Sam_ was back. Watching Sammy fall off a train and into an icy drop had messed Dean up big time. Crashing-a-plane-into-the-ocean big time. He had to play this right. Sam was remembering something, and Dean needed to convince SHIELD he was the key to unlocking more.

"Yeah, Sammy. So was yours."

Sam's expression was still mainly emotionless. Only now it had a permanent pinch of confusion to it. Dean had insisted they let him out of his cage, but he was still cuffed to the table. Dean sat on one end. Sam at the other. The Soldier considered Dean, looking him up and down.

"It's a common American Name. I never thought I could be American. I never thought about a mother."

Dean's smile dropped. He wasn't sure he wanted to push that anymore just yet. He tried another memory.

"Remember Rockaway Beach? I blew all our money on hot dogs. You didn't know. I gave you the last three dollars to try and win that stuffed bear for the blonde."

Sam stared forward more. His features softened for a moment. Dean dared hope he was remembering something. When Sam fixed his eyes on him it was the same fierce curiosity.

"No."

"Her name was Jessica. You called her Jess." Dean prompted. The Soldier shook his head.

"There was a girl." Sam tried. "You and her were together. In the war. Agent Carter."

"Yeah," Dean smiled again, a nostalgic smile. "Agent Lisa Carter. Brunette."

Sam nodded, his features softening again. Dean tried another memory.

"You made me ride the Cyclone on Coney Island, I threw up."

"I don't remember." Sam said. He almost sounded regretful over it. His features almost shifted out of confusion for the first time and into something upset.

"We can keep trying, Sam. We'll fix you."

"Fix me?"

The Soldier's expression reverted back to stock confusion. He balled his hands into fists under his handcuffs. Dean severely wanted to start hitting things again. Every time he thought they made progress Sam acted as Winter Soldier-y as he ever had. He was remembering things, though, which was a plus. Even if they were just names and dates and facts. There didn't seem to be anything emotional he could attach himself to. Dean swallowed hard, he opened his mouth to say something. In that moment the door swung open behind them. Dean shot around, ready to shout out whoever had entered. When Director Bobby raised his eyebrows, hand on the door, Dean knew he was being summoned. Sometimes Captain America _really_ hated SHIELD.

"I'm not leaving him-"

Bobby interrupted his rant.

"We made a deal, Rogers. You can come back later. Quit bellyaching and be an Avenger."

Dean kicked his chair back as he stood. He hesitated, looking back to Sam for a moment.

"Jerk."

Sam drew his eyebrows in further. He stared at Dean. Now he was definitely remembering something. He wanted to remember.

"Punk?"

Dean managed a sad smirk. At least he wanted to remember.

"We can work on that."

* * *

" _You could throw me into a pit of turd and still have it be fit to cage a Norse God. I'm not the only new passenger aboard this ship. So tell me, Boss. Which one of that SHIELD cheer-leading squad is the monster?"_

At the head of the helicarrier, the rest of the Avengers gathered around a table, watching Fury turn away from Loki's cage. The screens went blank.

"I think he's growing on me." Crowley said from over his martini. He'd left his Iron Man armor for a fitted suit. He lent back in one of the chairs. With the exception of Hawkeye and Black Widow, none of the Avengers sat within two chairs of the others.

Voices came from a leading hallway. Dean and Fury rounded the corner. Dean had tried to yell at Bobby for taking him away from Sam but was forced into small talk. Now he was kind of interested. He was mad with Fury, he wasn't going to deny him dating advice.

"All I'm saying is, if that cellist brought _homemade_ lasagna to your house, she's in to you. Go visit her. Fix her wood chipper."

Bobby pulled on his cap.

"Do you mean I should actually fix her wood chipper or is that a euphemism?"

"You mean like fondue-ing? No, I meant fix her damn wood chipper." Bobby and Dean joined the table. Director Fury didn't sit, he was in charge. Dean didn't sit either, He was still apprehensive of the rest of this group. The SHIELD agent known as Black Widow sat on one end of the table, sizing up the rest of the Avengers. Hawkeye sat next to her, seemingly unaware that he was still surrounded by anyone as he filled out SHIELD reports. Dean had been given plenty of paperwork after missions, he hadn't realized that people actually _filled it in_ before it got thrown in a paper shredder.

Castiel Chuckson stood too, opposite the chair Dean had moved to stand before. His arms were folded. He was practically expressionless, and yet something about him suggested he was running out of patience.

"I'm guessing Agent Bradbrunov hacked into the security footage around Loki's cell. You'd all of seen the conversation we've just had." Director Bobby declared, his voice had an edge to it, but he didn't look at Charlie. Her expression didn't change, she just sat a little further back in her chair, fiddling with the end of the table. Inside her smug smile was as pleased as the Cheshire cat, despite the few minute delay she'd settled for in the video.

"I still think it would be a better idea for _Asgard_ to keep Loki under lock." Castiel pushed, the impatience was clear in his voice where it wasn't in his features. "There's nothing you humans can do that he couldn't break out of."

"He's killed our citizens, Chuckson. We don't know motive. We don't know end game. If you could supply an answer for any of those questions we'd hand him over gratefully." Fury retorted. Castiel pulled a sour face and looked at the ceiling.

"You've got him by the short and curly's. I retrieved him in a magnificent fashion -" Crowley started from his seat, playing with the umbrella in his martini. Dean wasn't going to put up with his hubris.

" _I_ retrieved him."

"You let him kick you around a bit until I retrieved him." Crowley corrected. Castiel looked ready to remind them who'd knocked him down with lightning and Charlie had the airplane keys between her fingers. Crowley carried on like they weren't about to get into the same fight again. "Surely he's SHIELD's problem now. No need for this little Avengers team to stick around."

Bobby looked about done with everyone's shit.

"Did you not hear what I just said? Our problems aren't solved just because you left your mansion long enough to bring him in, Stark. A being like Loki won't let this be the end of it. As much as I hate to admit it, Castiel has a point. Loki ain't our usual captive." Director Bobby leaned forward, fists on the table to impose over them. "We need power to keep him here and we need power to stop whatever he's planning next. Because you can bet your egotistical superhero asses that he's got a plan – and that he's got people outside that cage. Outside of SHIELD. You want to walk away? Go ahead. If you can sleep with some Norse or Anime apocalypse on your shoulders. The Avengers Initiative needs unity. Something to bring you idjits together. Survival and Free Will good enough for you?"

* * *

 **AUTHORS NOTE 2: Next week this simple retrieve and interrogate mission takes a turn for chaos in Chapter. 5 "Your Heroes are Scattered"**

 **You know me. Feedback and suggestions hog. I'll take requests and everything. Any improvements you want to chuck my way. Until next time - Прощай!**


	5. Your Heroes Are Scattered

**AUTHORS NOTE: I'm really tempted to rename this chapter "shit hits the fan" because pretty much everything that has happened so far will mean nothing by the end of this chapter. This title will do though. Enjoy!**

* * *

Gabriel didn't have people working for him outside this cage. Not any he could use. Not yet. That's why he'd needed to be captured in the first place. Everything was going according to plan…Loki's content smile was dying. He was BORED. He might as well just escape now. Besides yelling profanities at the odd passing SHIELD agent, he hadn't really had much to do since his interrogation with Director Bobby. That was why it was such a relief when Charlie Bradbrunov appeared in the doorway.

"Here to give me a good talking to?"

"Fury interrogated you." Charlie reminded. She kept her arms folded, she was rooted to where she stood. Loki wouldn't sway her.

"Then are you here to make friends?" He almost sounded hopeful. "Do you play computer games? We could have a laugh."

Charlie smirked.

"I'd beat your ass."

Loki smiled too. Humans were alright. He had to stay on business though. He could be professional. He was wearing a tie.

"Then you're here off the record. Don't they have cameras watching this?"

Honestly? Charlie was a little offended.

"If I can't shut down the security cameras in my place of work without anyone noticing - something is very wrong."

Loki smiled again, this one like that of a door salesman. He held out his hands, a tricksters welcoming gesture. Charlie wasn't going to fool for it. She got information out of people by discussing a completely unrelated topic. This time she'd just have to pretend she wasn't interested.

"What's Asgard like?"

Loki's smile became slier.

"Trying to find a good holiday destination?"

Charlie shrugged and tried to sound elusive.

"Curious."

"You hacked into your boss's security system for _Curious?"_

"I'm too used to earth. Nothing seems extraordinary. If there's somewhere that gets close to what our books are like – I want to know." Charlie still didn't move. Loki paced his sell again. "The things you can do seem like magic to me. I'd have thought they were as mundane as monkeys are on earth – and yet you do all this because you say you're bored."

"Is this jealousy, Agent Bradbrunov?"

"Jealousy is for children." Charlie lacked conviction and Loki knew it. He laughed. Charlie's expression flickered but she kept rooted.

"You think this is Asgardian science? You think magic is too good to be true. You want adventure in your life, in a way being SHIELD's puppet spy could never give you. Don't you?"

 _Dammit._ Loki had beaten Charlie at her own game. She'd been trying to gauge whether boredom was his real motive – apparently interrogation was hard when you were spurred by the same incentives. Charlie hadn't said anything in too long. Loki shrugged.

"I'm not all bad. What's life without a little magic?" He stopped in his pacing once more, lifted his fingers, and a resounding click echoed in the large room with the snap of his fingers. More silence followed. Charlie glanced around. Ready for more Pokémon to shower the room. Nothing happened.

"What was - ?" Charlie started. Hand immediately on her gun. The cage door was open, Loki stood with a daring smile. She charged at him as he ran for the opening. Charlie jumped. Loki disappeared. The Black Widow skidded on her land, flipping her hair over her head to face the direction she'd run from. The cage was empty. Loki strolled from around the control panel, behind where Charlie had been stood. _Stupid._

Big mistake. Charlie didn't waste time in running for him again. He dispersed once more. This time Charlie didn't trip - she clocked the movement behind her. Loki's arms came around her neck and chest. She looped her hands into them, pulling him over her. He pulled her to ground with him.

Loki managed a punch to her jaw before Charlie could wrap her legs around his neck. The suffocation started before he expected it to.

 _"Crap."_ Loki's eyes went wide. Charlie hit him hard on the head. She tried to keep him on the ground and reach for the alarm button at the same time. Loki managed to tackle her further away from the control panel. The scepter formed in his hand.

"Hawk. Back up." Charlie spoke quickly as she kicked Loki away. Kevin was the only one she still had access to in comms. When Charlie attempted another attack, Loki hit his scepter hard across her stomach. She flew back winded, stumbling back into the container. Charlie fell back onto the ground, diving straight back for the door. It was too late. Loki slammed his hand on one of the buttons on the desk. Charlie slammed into glass and her blood boiled.

 _"Hey!"_ Charlie hit the glass. It had nothing on Norse God strength, but even if she could break her way out – the cage would drop into open air before she could stop Loki. Charlie could mask her relief when the wire fell from the ceiling, dangling behind Loki as he strolled towards the glass, presumably to have his dramatic last line before he left. Kevin zipped silently down the wire. Charlie glared at Loki. Director Bobby folded around the corner too, gun raised and aimed. Apparently someone had finally noticed her hacking. With two members of back up in this crucial moment she wasn't going to complain.

Kevin moved slowly behind Loki, eyes on his head like it held the secrets to the universe, life and everything and he was the only one who could crack what it meant. He held his bow down, arrow loaded. He began to raise it. Charlie tried even harder not to smirk. Bobby stopped in his footsteps and let his gun drop as Agent Bartran took control. That was when Loki turned. Lifting the scepter to Kevin's chest. Kevin's eyes went wide. It barely tapped the center of his shirt. Charlie took an empty step back as her best friend and work partner's eyes swirled blue. Loki was the one who got to smirk.

Something like relief rolled through Kevin until the grip on his bow slacked.

"Clear the exit, Agent." Loki ordered. Kevin nodded, stowing the arrow back in his quiver and pulling a gun from his thigh.

"Kevin!" Charlie slammed back into the glass. If this was mind control Kevin could fight it. He had to. His loyalty was the strongest out of everyone's in this stupid Avengers charade. Bobby was still stumped. He didn't have time to aim his own gun before Kevin had pulled the trigger.

" _Fury_!" Charlie was trapped. There was nothing else she could do but wish time backwards as Bobby fell to the floor, gunshot on the side of his forehead bleeding out.

"Sir," Kevin turned back to Loki like he hadn't done anything. Charlie could only stare at him, broken. "We should go. Someone would have heard that shot."

Kevin followed Loki through the room, stepping over Bobby's body without blinking an eye. He stopped to guard the door as Loki hesitated by the control panel once more. He turned back to Charlie, she kept his eye contact and shook her head. She was disgusted, to think she'd thought she could have a conversation with him. And now Fury was dead. _Fury was dead._

"Sorry Bradbrunov," He didn't _sound_ sorry. "Somethings need to be done. Hopefully my little gift will make up for this…Have a nice fall."

Charlie was too angry to pay attention to what he'd said and how little it had made sense.

"Dammit Gabriel, I'm going to make you pa - " Loki pulled the lever on the control panel. The cage fell from the room before Charlie could finish her threat.

* * *

The cage room was empty. Even of the cage. Chaos was roaring through the rest of the helicarrier, but this room was peaceful. Peaceful for the dead body that lay by the door. Peaceful for the short man with wild honey hair that appeared out of nowhere. He was only in his pyjamas, finishing off a doughnut with one hand and holding a mug of coffee in the other. His dressing gown was open and gold, like the eye patch over his right eye.

Chuck padded forward, swallowed his doughnut, and reached over Director Bobby's corpse. He pressed two fingers to his forehead and stood. Bobby's eyes rolled open. His gunshot wound began to close.

The previously deceased SHIELD Director started and looked around. When his eyes fell on Chuck he shot to his feet.

"Who the hell are you?" _What the hell just happened_ could wait.

"Just call me…Fury." Chuck seemed to take his time in deciding how he wanted to play whatever game this was. "He and Odin are both in power. Both have an eye patch. Makes sense for them to be one person in this world."

Bobby looked him up and down.

"But _I'm_ Director Fury…"

Chuck tilted his head and considered him. He lifted an arm in a quick click of his fingers.

"Now you can be Coulson. I'll take the ring. You enjoy time out in Tahiti." Bobby opened his mouth – probably to ask what the hell had just happened but Chuck clicked his fingers again. Bobby disappeared from the room.

Chuck turned around, taking in Gabriel's good work. He took a sip from his _World's Greatest Dad_ mug and clicked once more. His golden dressing gown turned to black. His eye patch too, switching eyes. Two could play at this game.

* * *

Sam sat, chained in his room, with no clue of the chaos that was happening on other floors of the Helicarrier. His mind was preoccupied, rambling through a dozen things that people were telling him were memories. He wasn't alarmed when the man with the combed back brown hair entered. He'd had plenty of people in suits come to talk to him. This one was no different.

"Sam!" He beamed. Sam could see the agent he'd known as Hawkeye standing guard at the door before Loki closed it. "I'll cut to the chase. I'm on the run. Now listen up; _Meg_."

Sam's eyes went wide with understanding. Where up until this point his expressions had been minimal, the desperation in him now bled from him like he'd had his throat slit. He didn't know who he was, but he'd gained _someone's_ consciousness enough to know that he didn't want to be wiped clean again.

This man in a suit was _very_ different to the others.

 _"Don't"_

These words would undo him. He probably wouldn't remember the man from the bridge until it was too late. Until his hands were covered in his blood. Loki continued. _  
_  
"Azazel, Lilith, Ruby,"

Sam screwed his eyes shut, keeping his head down as he clenched his fists under his chains. _No._

"Lucifer."

He let his head fall back against his chair. He drew his eyebrows in and let out one more attempt of protest.

"Please, no."

Gabriel continued chanting out the names like Sam hadn't spoken.

"Eve, Roman,"

The Soldier's head fell forward again. His fists had more violence in them now. He yanked at his chains. Grunting and pulling from where he was tired.

"Metatron, Abaddon, Cain,"

The chains snapped apart with a clang. The Soldier was on his feet. He knocked over the table and then the violence stopped.

"Amara." The Soldier stood still, hands still fisted. Expression empty and murderous. Loki looked him up and down and began to smirk. "Soldier?"

The Winter Soldier's voice was dead and deep. He scarcely blinked as he looked to Gabriel. His gaze was almost a glare.

" _Ready to comply."_

* * *

 **AUTHORS NOTE: Review, favorite, follow, PM, write feedback in the sky. Or pretend you never read this - It's really up to you ;) Next time the Avengers split up to stop The Winter Soldier, as well as Loki and Kevin in Chapter. 6 "Long Live the King's"**

 **I'm on holiday next week, so if I can't find Wi-Fi the next update will be a little late. Apologies. I might try and get two chapters out if that's the case. Until next time – Au Revoir.**


	6. Long Live the Kings

**AUTHORS NOTE: Look at me! On holiday and actually posting! I've only got Wi-Fi in this one place so I haven't edited as well as usual! I'll fix that when I'm home but I'm here! I'm here! :D**

 **Shout** **out to Mad Sparrow, because our holiday is so wild it's basically my writers retreat and she helped me with the details – which should have been obvious - in the next step of Loki's evil plan. Thanks pal!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Loki's container crashed onto the ground. Hard. SHIELD agents screamed and ran as the desks and technology were crushed by the large round cage. Charlie shielded her face as she crashed into the ceiling. A moment ago she'd been falling through the sky. Somehow she'd ended up crashing into the front area of the helicarrier.

Magically changing areas she'd been crashing in didn't matter. Fury was dead. Kevin was compromised. She hurried back onto her feet, grateful that Castiel was pulling the door back open. Considering it was upside down, she still had to climb over glass to get out of it.

Charlie pushed forward without acknowledging them. She needed to move. She needed to save Kevin. No one said anything, they just gaped at her as she hurried up the stairs to the meeting table and tapped exhaustively at the computer screens.

"So we're all going to pretend that was scientifically sound?" Crowley had his hands in his pockets as he glanced between the agents and the giant cage that had crashed into the room from nowhere. "Fine then. Just thought I'd make sure we were on the same page."

"Charlie," Dean stood forward and watched Black Widow panic over computer screens. They'd only just met, but he'd been disturbed by her wicked coolness enough to know this much emotion meant she was _freaking out._ "What happened?"

"Fury is dead." She was too exhausted to sugar coat it, her voice sounded raw. The SHIELD agents in the room gasped enough to make up for it. "Loki escaped. He's mind controlling Kevin."

Her fingers paused over the screens. Her face fell. The room was hanging on whatever she'd found in SHIELD's hidden files. That's what they assumed she was looking at. She was really watching the hacked alarm systems report.

"They're escaping. Kevin stole Loki a jet." Eventually Charlie's eyes flicked onto Dean's. "There were two jets stolen. Loki broke out the Winter Soldier. He's heading in a different direction."

Captain America didn't react as explosively as anyone else expected. They'd all witnessed enough of his tantrums lately, for the dead fury in his expression and his cold step back to seem anti-climatic. His jawline hardened. He didn't offer a suggestion. He gave them an order.

"We're splitting up."

* * *

Manhattan was flooding. Gabriel had seen _The Flood._ Capital T. Capital F. He had to hand it to his dad, it had been pretty impressive. Even then he'd stood and watched it and known something was missing. It wasn't until around 1750 that he'd realized exactly _what_ had been missing. Every day was made better when you flood a major city with liquid chocolate.

Hard candy fell like pellets on any civilians who hadn't been taken by the waves. Candyfloss tornadoes began raging over six different streets. The sweet wind whipped Loki's hair, now he was clad in green and gold robes – and he looked _fabulous._

Hawkeye stood beside him. Eyes swirling blue, awaiting new orders. They watched as the first two SHIELD quadjets flew into the city, one speeding after the Soldier's stolen escape, the other heading their way. Loki smirked. He'd be sending Hawkeye to do some ground work. The Avengers were coming.

* * *

No one asked how Castiel knew this was the building Loki had taken as his makeshift HQ. Charlie pulled a gun and cocked it. She glanced around the chaos of the city, freezing when she saw Hawkeye running in the opposite direction to them on the next street. She didn't take her eyes off him as she addressed the others.

"Bartran's been compromised." All panic from her earlier demeanor was gone. "It's my job to fix that. You guys take Loki."

She didn't wait for them to give her a blessing. She was already running after her partner in organised crime.

"She was our third wheel anyway." Crowley dismissed. He looked up to the building the quad-jet had basically crashed before. "You say he's in here? Let's get this done then."

"No." Castiel put his hand on Crowley's chest as he tried to pass him. He felt him push forward, but Asgardian strength trumped iron. "You may be a man of metal, but Gabriel won't have a problem ripping you limb from limb."

Crowley was wearing a metal mask, and it was hard to read emotion from those shining eye slots. Not that Castiel would have been likely to read his emotion if his face was bare.

"I _have_ raided a bad guy's lair before, Castiel…"Crowley looked him up and down before deciding there was more to add. "You _Giraffe_."

Castiel looked disgruntled but did little more than screw his hands into fists. He rolled his eyes upwards and then down, as if taking a breath to calm down. His words sounded careful as he chose them, the threat of running the metal man through with lightning laced everything he did.

"Gabriel isn't a villain." He began spinning his hammer, ready to shoot for the top of the building. "Now stand here and wait for the signal."

With that he was gone. Crowley shuffled where he stood and forced his arms to fold in his metal suit. He looked around. Pedestrians ran screaming for the quadjets SHIELD were sending in to save people.

"What the hell is the signal?"

* * *

Charlie weaved through abandoned cars and puddles of melted chocolate. Kevin was splashing through them up ahead. Hand on the strap of his quiver. She didn't know where he was going, he probably wasn't aware himself, but she could move quieter than him. He swung around a building. Charlie didn't follow his footsteps. Instead, she ran onto a car and jumped to grip the building's fire escape. She maneuvered herself onto safer ground on the other side of the building. Only to jump back off to land behind Kevin as he walked.

She was the one who could move quieter. Kevin was the one with better hearing. He folded around, arrow stocked in his bow in a flash. He fired. Charlie had moved behind his arm. He twisted around. She landed a blow to his neck. They'd been partners in SHIELD for years. They knew each other's moves through and through. The fight was everything the other was expecting. Charlie split a lip open. Kevin got a rib cracked. Kevin almost strangled her with his bow. Charlie bit his arm. It was stalemate. They were going to kill each other. Charlie was the only one with enough sentiment not to want to. She wasn't going to kill him. She wouldn't.

That's the last thought she had. After she'd kicked Kevin back into the building wall. Before he pulled an arrow on her and dived forward. His bow had skidded across the street three moves ago. He could still run her through with it. Kill her like he had Bobby. Charlie blocked her face. Kevin would fight this. He was more than this. But if he didn't do it now then he deserved more than the memory of Charlie's face as she died engraved into his brain.

That's when the world filled with red.

Shots and sparks of cloudy scarlet fired over Kevin. Charlie took a step back. The alley filled with the stuff. Kevin flew back into the wall without Charlie having kicked him this time. It was still her fault though. It took her a moment to realize it was. That all the red light was coming from her hands.

Kevin sunk to the floor. Bringing himself to his hands and knees. He failed a few times as he tried to push himself to his feet. Maybe Charlie should have helped him to his feet. Instead she stood, hands dropping from her face only slightly. He mouth hung open a little. Her eyes were wide as they glanced between her hands, still glowing red, and Kevin as he made it onto two feet. He looked up with eyes that were undeniably _him._

The light around her hands faded and disappeared. Kevin looked like he'd been awake for eight weeks, living off nothing but cheap canned hot dogs. Charlie knew that look well. She was too borderline horrified, borderline sure she'd gone insane given what had just happened to try and help him.

"What did you do to me?" Kevin's eyes were wide and desperate. Charlie looked between him and her hands once more. She could only breathe her reply.

"Cognitive recalibration."

Kevin didn't seem convinced.

"You hit me really hard on the head?"

"No…" Charlie kept looking at her fingers, at her will they began to spark red again. She couldn't help but break out in a smile. _I'm not all bad. What's life without a little magic? Hopefully my little gift will make up for this._ Maybe Loki had done more than escape when he'd clicked his fingers. _"Magic."_

* * *

"Brother stop this." Castiel stood in the doorway of a top floor room. Loki had come in from the cold and chaos of the Candy Apocalypse. Now he watched it through the wall length windows of the office room. He stood with one hand on his sceptre and one hand holding the lollipop in his mouth. He didn't turn to look at Castiel. Not even as he stormed towards him.

Castiel shoved his shoulder until Loki folded towards him. Gabriel rolled his eyes. Castiel didn't even blink.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I told you," Loki took the lollipop from his mouth, it was deliberate enough to be clear that it was a chore to him. "The world got boring."

"You can't fool me Gabriel. You wouldn't destroy this world out of boredom. You do not want to be our father."

"True. You've been God more times than any of us. " Loki shrugged as he flicked the clean lollipop stick to the ground. He swung his scepter to hold it sideways beside him. The consideration of Castiel's point was over-dramatic on his features. He lifted one hand of surrender. "Okay, maybe you're right – I don't want to be dad. I don't want the world to end. For reasons you can't understand, I just want his attention."

With that he brought his scepter up…and then ran Castiel through with it.

* * *

Crowley had started tapping his metal foot when the building exploded. Blue, the color of Kevin's hypnotized eyes, the color of Loki's scepter, shot from the explosion. It was wild. It burst into the sky as rubble showered the street. Crowley slammed into the building opposite, debris from that building fell with him.

The metal suit protected him from anything that would stop him from immediately pushing himself back up. Disorientated, he headed for the explosion as it began to settle. The smoke hadn't even thinned. But Crowley could only assume that had been _the signal._

Blue light shone through the smoke of the explosion. It had all but faded by the time Crowley reached it, by the time he'd climbed over the rubble and realized that the two charred masses of flesh and bone weren't part of the building. Mjolnir lay, untarnished, by one. The melted remains of Loki's scepter lay between the bodies, one of them had been run through with it. The blue light died completely.

 _This had not been the signal._

* * *

 **AUTHORS NOTE 2: Next time Captain America and the Winter Soldier face off in Chapter. 7 "Sammy"**


	7. Sammy

**AUTHORS NOTE: 7th Chapter fun all around! Confession time: I haven't edited this at all. I'm sorry. I'll give it a go tomorrow but I'm just not in the mood (aka I'm a lazy bugger) :) I am, however, completely broken by the "research" I did in watching Swan Song for this chapter.**

 **Anywho.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Captain America crashed into a stream of melted chocolate running through a street with a sludge. He couldn't fly those stupid jet things. Maybe he hadn't thought that part through when he'd split up the Avengers. He'd survived. Sammy's jet had landed more successfully a few buildings down. Sam stood in the middle of the road, walking slowly. If Dean didn't know better he would have thought he was lost of purpose. No. The Winter Soldier always had purpose.

Dean approached him slowly, shield lifted, helmet down. The Soldier turned and strode towards him. Captain America didn't flinch.

"Sammy."

He was careful with the name. The Winter Soldier glared at him and dived. He wasn't going to question the name this time. He had his mission. Stop anyone who crosses his path. Dean's blows were to block the Soldier's knives. His shield took a pummelling from the swing of his metal arm.

" _Sammy,_ I'm your brother. _"_ Dean tried to get through to him again. The Soldier grunted out his correction with more hits to his target.

"You're my mission."

Dean blocked more hits. The Soldier didn't back down.

"I'm not talking to the Soldier. I'm talking to Sam."

Then the confusion came. Wild and desperate.

 _"Why don't you run?"_

The Soldier's next hit sent Captain America's shield flying across the road. Even without his shield, Dean remained on the defensive. He wasn't going to fight Sam. Not when Sam didn't get a choice in whether he wanted to fight Dean. He'd been getting through to him. Dean wasn't going to give up now.

"Sammy, can you hear me?"

The Soldier grabbed him by his suit and pushed him back into a car. The front window smashed to litter the street with tiny shards of glass. Before Dean could recover, the soldier yanked him off the car by his ankle. Dean barely stayed on his feet. Another punch. Dean collapsed back onto the car. His grip on the roof slipped under the blood spilling from his mouth. Captain America staggered, but he forced himself around. Forced himself to look The Winter Soldier in the eye.

"Sammy. Are you in there?"

The Winter Soldier wasn't going to answer.

"I'm going to feel the snap of your bones." There was no passion in the threat. It was as mechanical as the punch he used to punctuate his point. "Every single one."

The Soldier screwed the star on Captain America's costume into a fist and landed another punch through his jaw. Dean fell to the floor. The deep scent of the iron in blood and the gravel between his fingers clogged up his senses. He tried to push himself up. The Soldier pulled him up by his uniform again, pushing him against the car.

Dean wasn't going to fight Sam anymore. The Winter Soldier didn't relent. He hit him again and again. One hit with his metal fist, one with human flesh. The punches got faster. He was his mission. Captain America was weak. _Weak._ Only strong enough to choke some words out.

"It's okay. It's okay, I'm here. I'm not going to leave you." Meaningless words. Another two punches, Dean's head was weak against the side of the car but he spoke louder. Clearer. "I'm not gonna leave you!"

Sam pulled his metal fist up once more. Dean knew he couldn't take any more hits. One more and he'll be knocked out. One more and he'll be dead. Sam seemed to pause. Only for a millisecond.

The Winter Soldier saw two kids playing with army men. Carving their initials into the fire escapes outside their apartments. Playing pranks on each other. Laughing together. Fighting over 20s music. Playing war down the street. Subtle glances as they pulled guns out, ready for everything from training exercises to world wars. Singing crumby songs together, bellowing them at the top of their lungs on the ride they'd hitchhiked back from Rockaway beach. Laughs. Heartbreaks. Sorrows. Happiness. Grief. All round _brotherhood._

The fist slackened and fell. Sam let go and Dean sloped down the car. Weak in the gravel. He managed to turn his head.

 _It's okay, Dean. It's going to be okay. I got 'im_. Sam wasn't sure whether he said it out loud. He could see Dean looking at him, he wasn't sure he _had_ got him. He didn't know what was happening. He just knew he felt safer. Sam was going to try and say the words again when the world erupted with blue. Cars moved with the force that blew through the road. Light shot up behind buildings to their left. Dean was too weak to move his head much but Sam shot his attention to the explosion. The Big Blue Bang.

* * *

 _"Ready to comply."_

 _Loki smiled and checked his novelty Spiderman watch. He gave his orders quickly._

 _"Take a break Soldier. We're stealing some jets. If anyone tries to stop you do your thing…until I give you the signal. A big blue bang…I'm guessing. Find me, after that do whatever you want. Foreign concept – I know – but trust me, hot stuff. You're one of daddy's favourites. If this doesn't work, well, I don't have much to lose as it is –_ apparently _."_

 _The Soldier didn't question Loki's bitterness. The Soldier didn't question his orders, despite the confused lift of the head at the prospect of doing whatever he wanted. Doing whatever_ he _wanted? He could cross that bridge when he came to it. Now he had to aid his master's escape. Now he had to stop anyone who tried to stop him._

* * *

Now he had to find his master. The big blue bang. Then he could do what he liked. He was still staring down at Captain America. Confusion was more like a concussion for him. The Soldier still didn't understand…He had to find his master.

The Winter Soldier ducked away and ran from Dean. Leaving him bloodied, swollen and bruised against the car. Dean's eye was too swollen for him to be able to make much out past a foot ahead of him. He saw Sam above him, metal fist raised. And then he saw him disappear.

He managed to shift. He managed a grunt. The noise he managed to groan out was strangled. It was an attempt to call after his brother one more time. His brother was gone. He hadn't really accepted it until then. His brother was gone. Dean knelt on the gravel and looked at his bloody hands. The Soldier had left him alive. Maybe the Winter Soldier was gone too.

* * *

 **AUTHORS NOTE 2: Next week the Avengers get a good talking to with the new Director " _Fury"_ and head of SHIELD in Chapter. 8 "Surprise Bitch"**


	8. Surprise Bitch

**AUTHORS NOTE: Oops! Everyone pretend this isn't a week late! I'm so sorry, I was just suffering from some extensive writers block. Hopefully, the next chapter will be up sooner. Like always, I'll try a better edit tomorrow. For now, Enjoy!**

* * *

"How the hell did I get here? I need to find Sam."

Dean spun on the meeting deck of SHIELDs helicarrier. A moment ago he'd been kneeling in the street. His brain had been clogged under the pain of being a bloody mess. Now, his mind was clear. Now, he didn't feel any bruises or cuts from the Soldiers attack.

"Quinjet picked you up, Captain. Don't you remember?"

Dean glared up to the head of the table. Fury stood with his hands behind his back. Except it _wasn't_ Fury. This guy didn't have a baseball cap and suit. He had an eye patch. He wore a black dressing gown over pyjamas. Not very professional. So why had Dean thought he was Fury? Fury had been killed. Although, as the new guy spoke, Dead _did_ remember a quinjet coming to get him. But…Dean's train of thought broke off when he caught his reflection in the mirror. He didn't feel half battered to death because he wasn't half battered to death.

"How are all my injuries gone?"

Imposter Fury waved a circumstantial hand.

"Experimental SHIELD drug. Probably has some memory side effects."

Just like that, more images of needles and injections swarmed his head. Dean still stared at the new guy with a little disbelief, but he grew more confused when he saw the rest of the Avengers swarmed the meeting table. They didn't spare a second glance to the person who'd claimed Director Bobby's space at the head of the table.

"Is no one worried about this guy?"

"I'm Fury's replacement," Chuck announced. Tapping randomly at the computer screens and taking a sip of coffee. "Technically that's my code name too. Just call me Chuck. I prefer it."

"Chuck as in…Where is Cas, anyway?"

The Avengers had more of a response to that. Their faces grew grim and they shared some solemn glances.

"Castiel Chuckson didn't make it," Crowley announced. Dean glared at the New Director Fury to read his reaction. Director Chuck's expression withdrew as he continued to look through SHIELD's files, but no one gathered much more than that.

For the first time since the Avengers had met. Dean shut up. They all shut up. Chuck cleared his throat and turned around.

"Loki too. A little anti-climatic for an ending if you ask me, I wouldn't have written it like that. Still. Avengers need to receive the tesseract. Find the Winter Soldier. You know the drill."

Chuck made his way for the corridor, taking a sip of coffee and looking like he'd regretted rolling out of bed that morning. Dean tried not to yell. The Director had taken him _away_ from Sam to tell him he needed to find him?

"Woah, wait!" Kevin sat up, over the pile he'd made of the safety kit to deal with the injuries Charlie had dealt him. Chuck rolled around "What's happening with Fury? Loki might have been controlling me but I still -"

"Kevin. Don't." Charlie's voice was just as firm as her partner's. Her glare was fiercer. She stood behind him, rolling up some bandages. "Don't do that to yourself."

Chuck nodded between them.

"Bobby didn't die. The bullet scratched his brain. He'll be fine. We're giving him some holiday time." Chuck took a bite of a doughnut. When did he get a doughnut? "Probably deserves it…shot in the head and all that."

" _What?"_ Kevin and Charlie spoke at the same time. Giving Chuck the same look of disbelief and fools hope.

"He survived," Chuck said in the same casual tone. Taking another bite of doughnut. "I'll be in charge from now on. I'm sure he'll send you a postcard."

"He's just on his _holidays?_ " Crowley said with a roll of his eyes. "I bet it's somewhere awful. Old Fury had no taste. Calcutta is wonderful this time of year, if he's still looking for destinations."

Chuck considered Iron Man for a long time. He looked him up and down. Nodded. And then pointed at him.

"I would have still signed you up after that lab experiment went wrong, Crowley. Just saying. He's in Tahiti, though." He put his hand in his dressing gown pocket and turned to leave again. "Now get to work. Thus spoke the Director."

* * *

"So, err, _New Fury?_ Or just Fury? Whatever this is I'm totally cool with it." Charlie dashed after Chuck. She slowed to walk with him down the hall. "But you're in charge now, so I should probably tell you that before Loki died…he gave me _magic!"_

Charlie lit her fingers up with red sparks in the middle of her ramble. Most people would have run away screaming – or at least flinched a little bit. Chuck continued walking down the hallway with her, shoving noodles in his mouth. Yeah, a pot of noodles had replaced the coffee and doughnut in his hands. He stared at her with what looked like limited interest. Charlie didn't notice. She carried on rambling with an immortal smile.

"And, y'know, I think SHIELD could use this to their advantage in the field. This could be a super power. We should forget Black Widow. Give me a new name, like _The Red Wiccan_ , or maybe _The Bloody Sorcerer_ or – or - "

Chuck gave her a suggestion like she sounded more professional than an excited child at Christmas.

"Scarlet Witch?"

Charlie's eyes went wide. If it were possible, her smile grew even purer. She stopped dead in walking down the hall and Chuck stopped with her. Stopped walking, anyway, he still shoved noodles in his face.

" _Yes!"_ Charlie couldn't help but punctuate her joy for her new alter-ego by punching Director Chuck in the arm. "This is much better than old SHIELD! Did we just become best friends?"

Chuck mulled that over as he chewed his noodles. Shrugging and nodding.

"Sure." He offered her the take-out box. "Noodles?"

Before Charlie could answer, the hall flared with red light. Alarms blared over their conversation and SHIELD agents pushed past Charlie and Director Chuck - back towards the open room. Chuck and Charlie shared a look and followed after them. Every screen in the helicarrier was consumed with static when they returned to the front meeting balcony.

The static blinked away. Loki's face replaced it on every screen. Alive and well. Face healing gashes and burns, but the image was fixing quickly. Superheroes and SHIELD agents stared with shared shock, as the Norse God smirked over his hijacked network.

"Miss Me?"

* * *

 **AUTHORS NOTE 2: Next week the tables turn for our Avengers, and they join together in Chapter. 9 "The Wayward Initiative"**

 **Until next week - la revedere!**


	9. The Wayward Initiative

**AUTHORS NOTE: Sorry it's late again! But it is a longer chapter this time. I'll try to edit better tomorrow yadda, yadda, yadda...Enjoy!**

* * *

" _GRENADE!"_

Agent Mills was the first to tear her eyes away from the screens. The first to see the grenade drop into the meeting room. People shot to the floor as she jumped over the table to do the same. The explosion sent ears ringing and equipment into pieces. The screens of Loki's burnt face had fallen to static by the time the smoke started to clear. Agents and heroes checked their injuries and pulled first aid kits from under desks.

"Can I go back to the ground and gank that son of a bitch, _now?"_ Dean got back onto his feet with only a little wince. Like he'd had one too many explosions today and wasn't going to let this one set him back. Kevin wasn't far behind.

"You think he's still on the ground? How else did that _grenade_ get in here?"

Chuck was looking out the windows like he hadn't even noticed the explosions. Come to think of it, no one was sure he'd even ducked for it.

"He's still on the ground." Director Chuck dismissed. "The Avengers should probably go find him."

Just as Crowley opened his mouth to start complaining about the décor of the quinjets, Chuck clicked his fingers, and earth's mightiest heroes disappeared.

* * *

The Winter Soldier didn't know what he was doing here. He couldn't see his master. Rubble crunched under his boots as he walked. Rubble. No bodies. He wasn't sure how he knew this was where he should be. In all honesty, it didn't feel like he _should_ be there. He stiffened at the sound of the voice that could control him.

"Sam." He turned to see Loki, he hadn't been there a moment before. "My favourite! You leave Deano alive?"

"Yes." The reply came without Sam needing to think it. Compliance had been made his reflex. But he could remember a time before that now. He fisted a hand. _He remembered now._

 _"_ Good, good." Loki nodded. "I meant what I said. Do whatever the hell you want now. I think I've made my point with you. None of this will last much longer anyway. "

That was it. Loki turned to leave without another word. As if Sam's torture hadn't been important. As if Sam wasn't a threat. Sam bit the inside of his cheek. Glaring down the back of the man walking away from him, the man who'd manipulated him. Dozens had done this to him over the decades, but this one was here _now._ He needed a weapon. Anything. Parts of building that he could hit him around the head with or…Sam's eyes found a great silver hammer, handle sticking up just for him.

The ex-Soldier marched to it, eyes still on Loki's back. He pulled it from the ground and swung it in Loki's direction. He'd only meant to lift it in a threat – but thunder crackled up ahead. Light cracked around the head of the hammer and lightning shot forward.

The explosion of hammer-induced-weather subsided. Loki was gone and the lightning had scared the building across the street. Sam's hair was wild. All he could do was stare at the hammer in his hand and the writing engraved on it.

 _Whoever holds this hammer,  
if he be worthy,  
Shall possess the power of Thor._

* * *

 **[LIKE TEN MINUTES AGO]**

The rubble and debris had settled in silence. Distant sirens. The sound of the breeze. They were the only things that disrupted the peace of the godly corpses. Loki's sceptre still glowed. The blue was the only shot of colour amongst the charcoal black and crumbling greys. In the middle of the destruction, it began to pulse.

The blue flashed until slowly…it began to move. It rose through one of the corpses bodies…the one who had been run through with the sceptre. The blue of the tesseract pulsed faster and settled in the centre of the skull.

More flashes. The pulses would've been felt in the air if anyone had been there. In the next flash, the blue coated the entire street. Only for a moment, but it was pure and magnificent.

By the time Gabriel pushed himself back onto his feet and yanked his sceptre out of his brother's body – that shiny blue thing in the middle had gone. _Ah, well._ He shrugged and stepped over some rubble. _Style isn't everything._

His back was turned to the other body. He didn't see it slowly begin to seal over in a deep, bloody red. Who was he kidding? Style was everything. A grenade appeared in his hand and he prepared to send his resurrection to all of SHIELD. By the time he had, he didn't notice that the other corpse was gone.

* * *

" _Ugh,"_ Dean stumbled forward a little. Now, the Avengers stood back on the streets of Manhattan. How Chuck had done _that_ was something to think about. "I'm not going to poop for a week…Well, Sammy's down here. So I'm gonna look for him and you can text me if you find that dick of a Trickster."

"That's very patriotic, Cap." Kevin said dryly. His look was one of disdain for the lack of intellect in other people's logic. "But-"

 _Crack._ The clouds above them parted without revealing any more blue. When the Avengers looked up, they saw a tear in the fabric of the universe. The stars and emptiness of space circled up ahead, with aliens pouring out of it. Some had similar frames to humans under all those jagged edges and slimy scales. The others though…they were giant freakin' _worms._

"But _that."_

Dean made a noise of frustration and lifted his shield higher. Charlie had lifted a gun before remembering her new magic. She smirked up at the aliens. Crowley rolled his eyes under his helmet. Kevin pulled out an arrow. The Avengers were ready to meet Loki's alien army and go down fighting. Before they could do that, a deep voice came from behind them, and they jumped around to face the figure.

"This all seems horrible."

* * *

Agent Mills looked up to Chuck, one of the less battered agents tended to her wounds.

"How could Loki survive an explosion with that sort of blast?"

"He didn't. Not really." Chuck didn't look away from the scene of Manhattan before them. That poor little island. This had to be it's third apocalypse in two days. An explosion burst over one block after he'd spoken. Chuck shoved his hands in his dressing gown pockets and sighed. "I'm going to have to go down there and remind him of that."

* * *

"Cas you're alive?" Dean stared at the figure in disbelief with the rest of them. Cas was _floating._ Cas was _multi coloured._ Cas had a shiny forehead.

"I'm better than that." His smile was subtle and kind. "I do believe the infinity stone brought me back. New and improved."

"New and improved?" Kevin looked him up and down. "Dude, you're _red."_

Cas drew his eyebrows in, before he could reply, the Avengers heard the rumble of a motorbike engine. Civilians had either fled or locked themselves away. Anyone taking a leisurely drive through the city needed to be questioned. No one moved when they registered the man on the bike, but they became more alert. All, apart from Dean, who took a few steps forward and let his guard down.

The bike clogged to a stop and Sam climbed off, he dragged Mjolnir at his side. He held it like it was just another one of the Soldiers knives, not an ancient Norse artefact. He took a few steps forward too. He stopped a few feet in front of Dean but didn't push his boundaries. He didn't understand how he wasn't collapsed and bloody in the street where he'd left them. He wasn't 100% sure why he was being smiled at.

"Sammy?"

"Dean." He'd meant to sound stronger than that. He was still exhausted and confused and guilty, but he felt a spark of calm too. Like he had by the car. Dean smiled more. He walked closer to him.

"Jerk."

Sam broke out a smile.

"Bitch."

Relief spurred Dean into hugging his brother. The Avengers stared on fondly…Most of them, anyway.

"When you're done with your little chick flick moment," Crowley grumbled from under his Iron Man helmet. "I think we have a world to save."

It was practically on cue, that one of the giant worm monsters made a groaning dive between the buildings the Avengers had covered. It was slow – but it was huge and impending. Its teeth were longer than every single one of them there. Even Sam. Crowley looked around the group expectantly.

"Anyone got some shocking and fantastic hidden talents they haven't told us about? Anything that could come in handy here?" Crowley sighed and took off his helmet. He plonked it over Dean's head on his way past him – which was met with a lot of complaining that he ignored. "Well, I do. Since none of you bothered to ask what happened to me in that lab accident that sent me to Calcutta. Try not to wet your favourite knickers."

With that, Crowley's skin swelled into green. His Iron Man suit began to burst off as he grew, and roared, and became one throbbing mass of _Hulk._ He landed a punch forward just as the great alien worm reached them.

"Well," Sam said. Stumped. "Yeah, that'll help."

Parts of Iron Man shot backwards for the helmet. Dean dropped his shield and skidded across the street as the metal armour swarmed him. Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch shared a glance and fell into taking down the aliens that had begun to litter the street. Sam was getting the hand of using Mjolnir, helping the big green monster take down the big worm monster. Things had escalated quickly, sure, but it felt good to be fighting on the right side.

"This thing has good balance." Sam said to Cas, after he'd smashed one of the aliens in the head with it and sent them flying across the street. Cas nodded. Laser light shot from the stone on his head and took down a line of aliens.

"Well, if there's too much weight, you lose power on the swing."

Dean broke through them, chased by more of the metal from Iron Man's suit. One arm had been completely engulfed already.

"Leave me alone!" Blue power shot out of his palm and through an aliens head. "Okay, that was cool…"

More pieces of the suit managed to snap around him. Dean was getting the hang of working it, he shot through more of the monsters. Even when he tripped over, he recovered in the air. Dean laughed, a whole new range of possibilities for ass-kicking was entering his head.

"Oh yeah, bitches!" He shot a line through a group of the monsters swarming Charlie and Kevin. "You ain't seen nothing of Dean Rogers yet!"

With that, _You ain't seen nothing yet_ started blasting from the Iron Man helmet. Dean only had to listen to it for a few seconds before he felt so happy he could cry. He spoke with complete sincerity.

"This is the best day of my life."

Crowley-Hulk smashed the aliens to pieces. Kevin shot arrow after arrow at the things without breaking sweat. Charlie was working her magic…literally. Making the odd butterfly or bird out of sparkling red for the fun of it.

Soon, the street was clear of aliens. More broke away from a group a few streets down. A group that looked to be guarding something.

"I'm guessing that's where Loki is." Charlie said, and the magical red scenery flashed away. "I vote we take him down."

Crowley-Hulk grunted his agreement. The Avengers charged forward. Captain America's abandoned shield scraped along the road as Sam stepped over it. Kevin wasn't going to let it go.

"Hey wait," They all turned to face him. He still had his fingers between the arrow in his bow. "Am I the only one who hasn't changed super identity?"

The Avengers glanced around, realised he was right, and shrugged. Kevin nodded and loaded away his bow and arrow.

"Screw that. I always wanted to be the first Asian superhero for the United States, anyway." Kevin walked to the head of the group, picking up Dean's abandoned shield as he did so.

"Now, Avengers," He turned back to them one last time, before lifting Captain America's shield as his own and looking at the army ahead of them. "Assemble!"

* * *

 **AUTHORS NOTE 2: Next week our story concludes. The newly masked Avenger gang try to stop Loki once and for all as Chuck and Gabriel fight it out…over which Hunter they fan cast as which Avenger - in Chapter. 10 "Assemble!"**


	10. Assemble!

**Oh dear Chuck I am so sorry. I was doing so well! Sorry this chapter is so ridiculously late. Apparently, my motivation completely runs dry when you leave me to the summer holidays. Alas, results day nerves drove me on! (And then I just didn't post it for a week) The last chapter is here! Hoorah.**

 **This chapter goes out to Snovolac! Who reviewed almost every chapter of this story. Thanks pal! If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have bothered finishing this! For one last time, Enjoy!**

* * *

The Avengers charged. Wind billowed in Sam's hair. Cas-Vision flew above them. The streets were filled with the warrior cries of the Scarlett Witch and Kevin, with his new Captain America shield. Crowley-Hulk's hissy fit roar soon joined them. Not to mention AC/DC's Back in Black coming from Dean's new Iron Man suit. They were ready to fight these crazy aliens together. They were going to fight these crazy aliens with style.

The aliens noticed their charge. Turning around with the only sort of faceless confusion they could muster. The Avengers had their weapons raised. A few aliens raised their spears. The battle was imminent.

The Avengers noticed the change in the alien's focus – not the man in the dressing gown who appeared amongst the greenish grey things. They only noticed Director Chuck when he clicked his fingers and the aliens fell to the floor.

"Hey guys," he had a fresh cup of coffee and still didn't seem very bothered by any aspects of the insane apocalypse around him. "Good job."

"What the hell was that?" Kevin looked at the aliens on the floor, which were now fading into nothing. He was personally offended by how little this day was correlating with basic physics.

"Who wants aliens everywhere?" Chuck shrugged. He clicked his fingers again, and Crowley-Hulk returned to regular-sized Crowley. Standing in nothing but his satin underwear and socks. He didn't look happy.

"We were ready to fight." Sam said. Dean almost spoke over him, he sounded a lot angrier for not being able to test out the Iron Man suit some more.

"That was our fight!"

"Where's Loki?" Charlie could refocus. "We need to finish him off."

Chuck considered the group for a moment. He took a casual step back, towards the building they could only guess sheltered Loki.

"Don't worry about it." Chuck dismissed. "I'll take care of it. You've done enough for a day."

Before the Avengers could argue, Chuck strolled into the building. When they tried to ignore his orders, burst into the room as back-up, the door was locked.

* * *

"Dad." Gabriel stood in the middle of the room. It looked like it was halfway through refurbishment. It could've just been down to the candy storms and explosions of the day. Wallpaper was peeling and ripped. Rubble filled the room. Chuck stopped a few feet away from Gabriel. He took a sip of coffee.

"Gabriel," Maybe Chuck was waiting for Gabriel to say something else. He didn't. "Don't you think creating a whole new world was a bit over the top to prove a point?"

"Oh, so you know what the point is?" Gabriel didn't sound like he believed him.

"You're annoyed that I haven't brought you back from the dead."

"I'm not _dead._ " Gabriel said, irked. "I'm not _alive_ exactly, I'm not dead, though. How else could I do this?"

A monkey on a unicycle appeared, juggling bottles of beer. Gabriel swept a hand through the air and it vanished.

"You came back to earth, dad! No one thought that was ever going to happen. You needed archangels. You made everything harder for yourself just so you could keep your world's worst dad title."

With that, Gabriel clicked and the mug in Chuck's hand shattered to pieces with a burst of coffee. Thunder rolled as Chuck's features darkened. The edge to his voice was fierce.

"So this is another one of your "play your roles" experiments? Is that why everyone was cast as the wrong Avengers to start with?"

Chuck clicked. Loki's sceptre disintegrated into salt. Gabriel raised his eyebrows, his anger with Chuck deepened.

" _Excuse me?_ I thought I got my creativity from you. Clearly, all that time avoiding your responsibility made you uncultured swine."

"You got everything from me." Chuck's fury grew to match Gabriel's again. "But come on! How is Crowley Iron Man?"

Gabriel scoffed.

"Tony Stark has a dry humour, style, he wears suits - of course, he's Crowley."

"That's all you're basing this on? Suits?" Chuck scoffed back. An army of kittens appeared behind him. "It's so much more logical for the murderous monster consumed by rage that's got a soft side and who no one takes seriously to be The Hulk."

"Pfft. Dean might have the bravado for Iron Man but I maintain Crowley makes more sense."

The kittens charged, tackling Gabriel in a herd of meows.

"You're kidding? The engineer who loves rock music _isn't_ Iron Man? You should know better."

Gabriel shook off the kittens. One by one, they turned into smurfs.

"You always looked down on my ideas. What did the dodo ever do to you?"

"I'm sorry, Gabriel. That wasn't personal. They were out of control."

"Yeah, right."

The army charged back to Chuck. Now a flood of angry smurfs. Chuck clicked them away and took a measured breath.

"Fine. What about Kevin?"

Gabriel shrugged.

"I needed a Hawkeye. They're both expendable. Can you blame me?"

Thunder rolled outside again, loud and clear, as Chuck's eyes went wide with fury.

" _Expendable?"_ A box of noodles showered Gabriel's head. "That's one of my prophets you're talking about. Kevin was one of the best, most loyal, and dedicated prophets I ever had. No matter how exhausted he got."

"But he's still a _prophet_!One dies, another comes along! I was stuck between him and Donatello."

"You know what screw you." The force in which he sent the pizza into Gabriel made him stagger back a little. "Hawkeye was always my favourite. He got to where he is through hard work. He keeps up with superheroes despite being a regular guy. He's handicapped. He's relatable."

"Relatable?" Gabriel scoffed. "You are neither handicapped nor a regular guy. Everything you do is through a click of your damn fingers."

With that, Gabriel clicked his fingers again. Chuck was dosed with a pile of sherbet.

"Like father, like son." Chuck shook the sherbet from his hair. "Kevin works as Hawkeye on the hard work front but he's the _perfect_ Captain America. Like I said; dedicated, loyal, ambitious. _CAP_."

"And a Hydra Agent?" Gabriel smirked, pulling an issue of Captain America out of thin air and flicking through the horror that was that storyline. Chuck glanced between the two.

"Dammit, Gabe, I _knew_ that was you!"

"Apparently, not. Apparently, I'm too _dead_ to be doing anything of note."

"You _are!"_ Chuck showered Gabriel with doughnuts. "This world is all of your energy you have left! Even the real Loki could send visions when he was strapped to a table under all that snake venom."

"Don't Norse folklore me, dad! This is Marvelverse!"

Gabriel swung a giant lollipop through the air. It stuck to Chuck's sherbet.

"I couldn't heal you. There wasn't time!"

A river of bacon tumbled between them, Gabriel slipped on the grease. He yelled as he fell

" _You're God!"_

He scrambled to his feet, a gun appeared in his hand, pelleting Chuck with hard candy as he fired.

"I was dying!"

"SO AM I!" A cream pie flew across the room. Hitting Chuck squarely in the face.

The two celestial beings continued to debate the practicality of the Lord interfering with life and death. Fate and Destiny. But, hey, Gabriel was almost dead somewhere in the real world. Chuck was really talking things out with his sister on their bunk bed in the sky. Father and Son would fight things out. Eventually, Gabriel would get bored with this world and it would dwindle back into reality. The Avengers wouldn't know any difference. Every family had their arguments. Sometimes they led to three apocalypses in a week.

* * *

The Avengers had come to terms with the fact that there wouldn't be a big showdown fight with millions of dollars of city damage. They lay about or slouched on the rubble of the street, waiting for Loki or Director Chuck to come out victorious. The sky was darkening. Somewhere, there was thunder.

After a few minutes of Dean talking about this food that he wanted to try. Because he still needed to find out more stuff about the future. And now Sam had to get used to it all too. He really wanted to try this new food. After all that, Crowley had snapped in frustration, gone a little green, and then stole Sam's stolen motorbike to go get this thing called _Shwarma._

The group picked at it now. Sometimes in silence. Sometimes talking about absolutely nothing.

"You know what I've always wanted?" Dean mused. "Since coming to the future anyway, this car I saw once – 1967 Chevvy Impala. Black. I'm gonna get one."

"So what?" Crowley asked, clearly unimpressed. "The New Iron Man and the guy who possesses the power of Thor are going to use their powers to go road tripping?"

"What's wrong with traveling the country a little? Even if we do ignore orders whilst doing it?" Sam pointed out. "I'm due a break."

"We'll find something to do." Dean agreed. "Saving People. Avenging Things. The Wayward's Business."

* * *

 **Well, that's all folks! It's been a blast! I still can't believe I actually finished all this and updated at regular intervals(ish)! Was this story just one massive rant of denial about the lack of Gabriel in the latest seasons? Maybe…Did I start writing before I had an actual plot? Definitely maybe…And yet it's still the most fun I've ever had writing a fan fiction. Mainly because I didn't put much effort into it. So I apologise for any substandard. I'm aware of a lot of the typo's you've had to suffer through. I could say I'll edit it properly one day, but chances are that would be a lie.**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **Toodle-pip (forever)(for this story, anyway)**


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